1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a dispensing device and a dispensing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A dispensing device (dispenser) configured to discharge a liquid from a nozzle using a syringe, and the like, has been utilized for various purposes.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2009-291103 discloses an automatic cell-culture apparatus including a dispensing device (pipette device) which is used in a pipetting operation with respect to a culture container. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2004-141857 discloses a dispensing device which can be used for a printer head of an ink-jet printer.
The dispensing device as described above discharges a liquid from the nozzle by applying a pressure to the liquid. For example, a common ink-jet printer discharges an ink drop by applying a pressure to the ink drop using a piezo element (piezoelectric element) or using air bubbles generated by heating. Further, for example, a continuous type (continuous discharging type) ink-jet printer or a dispensing device using a syringe is capable of generating a pressure using a pump and discharging a liquid.
However, in the case of dispensing a liquid using a pump, a liquid phase and a gas phase are easily mixed at the tip of the nozzle at the start and/or end of dispensing, which may cause a splatter and/or a bubble. If a splatter is generated, the liquid may splatter over something other than a liquid dispensing target, thereby contaminating the surroundings. Further, also in the case where a bubble is generated, the bubble may burst into splatters or the bubble at the tip of the nozzle may drip when the syringe is moved, thereby contaminating the surroundings.
In particular, such a dispensing device as to be used for a cell culture apparatus does not discharge a solution continuously, which is different from the case with a continuous type ink-jet printer, and thus, the splatter and/or bubble may be generated every start and/or end of dispensing. Therefore, when a solution is discharged using a pump, the solution may splatter over the outside of a dish (culture dish) or drip off the dish, which may result in contamination.